Collapsible cardboard easel



oct. 17, 1944. 1W. HULME 2,360,681

COLLAPSIBLE CAR-DBOARD EASEL Filed Nov. 23, 1942 FIG.;

SECT/ON 5' 5" ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 17, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,360,631v f COLLAPSBLE cAnDBoARD EAsEL James W. Hulme, Detroit, Mich. Application November 23, 1942, serialNo. 466,707 c claims. (o1. 248-35) The invention relates to easels. formed from a fiat blank of cardboard or other suitable material and it is the object of the invention to obtain a construction which will be useful for various purposes. In particular such a construction is useful for supporting desk calendars. One defect of easels of this character as usually constructed is that they are so light as to be easily upset. It is,

therefore, one of the objects of my invention to overcome this difficulty.

It is a further object of my invention to obtain a construction formed as a flat blank which can be easily folded and locked into operative form and as easily unlocked and returned to the flat, if desired. With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank in the flat;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the folded blank; y

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the assembled structure;

Figure 4 is a rear elevation thereof; and

Figure 5 is a section substantially on 5 5, Figure 4, illustrating the locking means.

The blank A formed of cardboard or other suitable material is of substantially rectangular form.

This blank is scored along a, laterally extending line B to for-m a base section C and an upwardly extending inclined section D. The section C is further scored along the oblique lines E and E so as to form corner portions F and F' capable of folding upward to have their bottom edges E2 centrally abutting against each other. Their outer edges E3 and E4 abut against the rear face of the section D and together therewith and the base section C' form a tetrahedral enclosure. To lock the parts in this position, the section D has partly severed and struck out therefrom a central tongue member G with apertures H, H and H2 at opposite sides and at the upper end thereof.-

The corner portions F and F also have formed on their outer edges projections F2 with fingers F3 at one end thereof. The arrangement is such that by bending the tongue G slightly out of the plane of section D, the fingers F3 may be engaged with said tongue and the projections F2 engage with apertures H and H. The tongue may then be bent back towards its original plane where the inclined edges H3 o-f the apertures H and H' will overlap the, portions F2 while the fingers F3 remain engaged with the tongue. This will lock the parts from disengagement and will form an easel with a tetrahedral hollow base and an inclined upwardly extending portion on which a calendar or other member may be mounted. Shoulders G may be formed on the tongue G to limit the depression of the portions Fand F.

As has been stated, small cardboard easels are so light as to be very unstable. This difculty I overcome by loading the base with any suitable material placed in the tetrahedral enclosure. For instance, paper clips or any other small articles may be stored in this enclosure and will give sufficient additional weight to hold the easel from easily being upset. Whenever it is desired to obtain access to this material the parts may be easily unlocked by inserting a finger through one of the apertures H and H and deilecting the tongue G so as to permit disengaging of one of the fingers F3 and folding back the corner portion F. Thus, the enclosure is useful for storage of useful articles, as well as for weighting the structure.

My improved construction may be blanked by a single operation in a press and is then in -condition for immediate use.

What I claim as myinvention is:

1. An easel comprising a substantially rectangular blank transversely foldable to form a bottom section and an upwardly extending inlclined section, said bottom section having the corner portions thereof foldable along oblique lines to centrally abut two of the edges thereof against each other with the other two contacting with said inclined section to form a brace therefor, said folded corner portions together with said base and inclined section forming an enclosure for weighting material.

2. An easel comprising a substantially rectangular blank foldable along a transverse line to form a base section and an upwardly extending inclined section, said base section having the corner portions thereof foldable along oblique lines to form a tetrahedral enclosure for weightf ing material and a brace for said inclined section. Y

3. An easel comprising a substantially rectangular blank foldable along a transverse line to form a base section and an upwardly extending inclined section, said base section having the corner portions thereof foldable along oblique lines to form a tetrahedral enclosure, two of the edges of said corner portions centrally abutting against each other and the other two edges having a locking engagement with said inclined section.

4. An easel comprising a substantially rectangular blank foldab-le along a transverse line to form a base section and an upwardly extending inclined section, said inclined section having a tongue portion partially severed therefrom and said base section having corner portions thereof foldable along oblique lines to form a tetrahedral enclosure for weighting material, two of the edges of said fportons centrally abutting each other and the other two edges having an interlocking engagement with said tongue portion.

5. An easel comprising a substantially rectangular blank foldable along a transverse line to form a base section and an upwardly extending inclined section, said inclined section having partially severed from the central portion thereof an upwardly extending tongue portion, said base section having the corner portions thereof foldable along oblique lines to form with said base and inclined section, a tetrahedral enclosure and fingers on the outer edges of said corner portions adapted for interlocking engagement with said tongue when the latter is slightly' deflected from the plane of said inclined section.

6. An easel comprising a substantially rectangular blank foldable along a transverse line to form a base section and an upwardly extending inclined section, said inclined section having partially severed from the central portion thereof an upwardly extending tongue with apertures at opposite sides thereof, said base section having corner portions thereof foldable along oblique lines to form in connection with said inclined section a tetrahedral enclosure, the outer edges of said corner portions being provided With outward extensions with fingers at one end thereof, said ngers being engageable with said tongue portion when the latter is slightly deected from the plane of said inclined portion, said extensions passing through said apertures and being locked by the partial restoration of said tongue toward the plane of said inclined portion.

JAMES W. HULME. 

